That Sounds Lovely
by PhoenixSong2013
Summary: Marley comes home one night to an empty house... or what she thinks is an empty house. When her abusive boyfriend Jake steps a bit over her limit she decides enough is enough and she would escape. But escaping might be a bit too difficult without some outside help...


Marley slid the key into the lock, knowing she would be in intense trouble. She pushed the door open hesitantly and peered inside, one curious brown eye pressed against the door's half-open crack. And then a hand shot through and grabbed her by the scruff of her neck, pulling her bodily through the door and pressed against a hard, chiselled chest.

"Where were you?" snarled a gruff voice beside her ear, making shivers run down her back. However, they weren't joyful or excited shivers, they were terrified, tingling ones that vibrated against her spine and made her blink back tears.

She whimpered, feeling the hand reach towards her neck. "I – well – we were – we were out of milk, Jake. And I thought – I thought you'd let me get some to cook you a dinner for tonight… It's our anniversary."

Jake growled and grabbed a fistful of her hair, whirling her around to face him. "You thought? You thought I'd let you sneak out in the middle of the night for some milk? How stupid do you think I am, girl? I know you're lying, girl, so you'd better talk…" he trailed his tongue over her earlobe, making her shiver in fear once more. "No answer? Well, we'll have to see about this then…"

And then her back was shoved hard against the wall, making her choke and cover her mouth in surprise. Then there were a pair of rough lips against hers, contaminating them and covering them with hatred and loathing that he spat with the words he spoke. "I'm sorry," she whispered, choking on sobs as his hand crept up her side.

"Sorry?" Jake laughed coldly, taking a step back. "You're sorry?" He pulled his hand back and backhanded her across the face, leaving an angry red hand-shaped mark on her cheek. Marley sobbed harder as he continued to ravage her mouth, his hand still reaching towards her ribs. And then he was pounding his fists against her chest, leaving purple bruises and sores. She sobbed harder as he continued to kick, punch, ravage, every inch of her body was not left unbruised. "You'll be a lot sorry when I'm through with you, girl… but I'll let you wallow in your misery for a few minutes first. Besides, I need to get that 'milk' for tonight's dinner."

Marley sobbed harder as he slammed the door behind him, his body a mere silhouette against the light of the house she was trapped inside. Then the sound of a key turning in the lock reached her ears and then the tears flowed freely.

She crawled towards the bathroom, leaning against the wall when she was inside. The tiles were cold, soothing against her bare legs. Marley reached the mirror, pushing herself to her feet using the toilet.

Her clothes were ripped from her upper thighs downwards, displaying blue, purple, and black bruises that patterned her legs like sick tattoos. The neckline of her tee was cut down even further, stretched down to show the bottom of her bra. A sob escaped her throat when her hazel eyes  
reached her face. Marley's lips were bruised, her dark hair splayed around her head like a halo. Her bottom lips had teeth marks in them, blood pouring from a cut above her brow. Her neck was covered in love bites, blood oozing from each of them. Her cheeks each were imprinted with ugly, hand-shaped marks.

Marley sobbed harder as she looked at herself, turning away from the mirror and out of the bathroom. The phone – the phone – she had to call someone – she had to get herself out of there before he came back. She grabbed it, dialling the first number that came to mind.

"Marls?" asked a warmly familiar voice near her ear, making her jump and sob harder through the receiver. "Marley? What's wrong? Come on, Marls, what's wrong? Marley!"

"I – It's Jake," she sobbed.

Ryder's voice reached her again, worried. "Is he OK?"

"Well… he is…" she swallowed, choking on her sobs. "I'm not… he beats me, Ryder, he hurt me…"

And the key was back in the lock, turning and turning as Ryder replied, "I'm coming to get you, Marls. You're going to be OK. Are you home?"

"Girl?" his voice rang out so loudly Marley's hand slid over a button – thankfully, it didn't hang up – and the phone tumbled out of her hand. And then his hands were back around her waist, pressing her against the wall as he roared, "Who did you call?! Why did you call them?!"

Marley sobbed harder as he continued to beat her, roaring insults at her. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I – I didn't call anyone! I didn't get the chance!" Ryder stayed silent, thankfully, but the room was full of his heavy, angered breathing as she sobs and shrieks of pain reached his ears. "Please, Jake! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!"

Then the phone gave a small beep, letting the pair know that the person on the other end had hung up. Jake growled and ripped her left sleeve away, grabbing the knife from the kitchen worktop and embedding it in the soft, pale flesh of her inner forearm. Marley shrieked as the knife scratched her skin, writing as her abusive boyfriend dragged the sharp knife up and down, through her skin.

The sound of a car's brakes rang throughout the house, but Marley didn't care; neither did Jake - he just continued to etch some sort of pattern into his girlfriend's skin. "You'll pay, girl," he growled. "You'll pay and so will your cavalry..." he trailed off, his ears pricking as somebody rammed their body against the door. He leapt to his feet, dropped the knife into her lap. "I'll get you one day, girl." And then he sprinted through the hallway, into the kitchen. A minute later, the sound of a door slamming comforted Marley as another car, this time closer, revved up and left the drive.

She sobbed, clutching her arm to her chest. Blood smeared her cheeks, her clothes, her limbs. Her body was drenched in red, covered in bruises in all angry colours. Someone was hammering on the door and she sobbed harder as the door crashed down a few inches away, missing her body only just.

And then she was encased protectively in warm, strong arms. She felt someone's face press into her hair as she buried her head in Ryder's chest, sobbing against his shirt. "I'm so sorry, love," whispered Ryder, as tears fell from his own eyes and into her hair. "I'm sorry I never figured it out."

"It's not your fault," whispered Marley, reaching up with a shaking hand to brush a tear away from his eye. "I should have told someone. I should have gotten away before..." Sobs wracked her body once more and Ryder silently let the tears slide down his face as he looked around, taking in the three-inch-high blood splatters on the wall nearby. His eyes were drawn to her arm... and there was the word, in capital letters, 'BITCH'. He let out a growl and Marley jumped, looking up at him with fearful eyes. "Jake?"

"No - no, love. He won't hurt you ever again," he stood, cradling her fragile body in his arms.

"That sounds lovely."


End file.
